730 
THE RURAt NEW-YORKER 
July 30. 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
IF very query must be accompanied by the name 
and aduress of the •writer to insure attention. Be¬ 
fore asking a question, please see whether it is not 
answered in our advertising columns. Ask only 
a few questions at one time. Put questions on a 
veparate piece of paper.] 
BIG RETURNS FROM SMALL AREAS. 
I send this account of a crop of red 
raspberries grown 51 years ago on six 
acres of a young bearing orchard, a part 
of a 100-acre farm on which my employ¬ 
er, Mr. G. H. Lodge, raised fruits and 
vegetables. The soil was sandy and of 
moderate fertility, and the trees were 
about 10 years old. No account of the 
number of bushels was kept, for the 
entire crop was sold from his son’s store 
in the city. Sixty bushels were picked 
in one day. During the bearing season 
from $250 to $300 of raspberry money 
was used every Saturday to pay the help, 
and at the end of the bearing season 
there was a balance of $2,000, all from 
the six acres of raspberries. The price 
obtained was about $8 a bushel. This 
farm was across the avenue from where 
the Cleveland Central High School now 
stands, and was cut into lots and built 
over years ago. m. Crawford. 
Ohio. 
HARVESTING CRIMSON CLOVER SEED. 
Crimson clover is becoming more use¬ 
ful to southern farmers especially each 
year, and the seed is getting higher. 
If the farmers knew some cheap and 
easy way to save their own seed this 
valuable soil improving crop would soon 
be grown still more. I have just fin¬ 
ished harvesting and sowing mv own 
seed at small expense, and my experi¬ 
ence may be of some value to others. 
In the first place, I took a piece of 
galvanized iron roofing and attached it 
to my mowing machine cutting bar, thus 
making an apron to catch the clover 
heads. This apron was held to the bar 
by placing one edge under the blade 
clamps, and then screwing the tops 
down on ' the sheet iron. Two rods 
were made of old rake teeth by bending 
one end of each at right angles, then 
cutting threads so that the ends of the 
rods would pass up through the bar 
and through the edge of the sheet iron, 
and nuts were screwed down on the 
ends, thus making an excellent support 
for the apron. A boy followed the 
mower and raked the clover heads off in 
small piles, where the seed soon cured 
and was easily gathered up by hay 
forks. During a warm clear day we 
gathered the seed and beat it out on a 
cloth blanket right in the field. No 
seed was lost by hauling. It was eas¬ 
ily beaten out. The clover straw was 
scattered over the land to be turned 
under with the clover stubble. Noth¬ 
ing was taken off the land but the clover 
seed in the chaff. This seed in its 
present shape will be sown on the corn 
land before the last cultivation for the 
next crop. This method commends it¬ 
self especially to me for the following 
reasons: The apron was made of ma¬ 
terials for which I had no use, the 
cost of making was 25 cents, it can be 
used again, no seed was lost by using 
the buggy rake, no material but the seed 
and chaff were taken off the land, and 
I am out no cash for my seed to sow 
again this year. I see no reason why 
this same method could not be used 
to harvest ordinary Red clover seed. 
Virginia. r. h. price. 
Burning Stumps. 
Recently one of your readers asked for 
information for removing stumps from 
cleared lands; I give the following infor¬ 
mation as it was given me by one who had 
thoroughly tested it: In the early part of 
the Winter bore a two-ineh auger hole to 
a depth of about three inches in the top of 
each stump to be removed, fill the hole 
with the refined nitrate of potash and drive 
a pin tight on it. Let it remain until the 
Spring, when the potash will be absorbed, 
pour a little oil on the top of stump and 
set afire, the entire stump, and in a geat 
many instances all the roots, will be con¬ 
sumed by a slow burning. n. R. a. 
Fayette, Miss. 
A TURNIP CROP FOR HUMANS. 
In his article “A Turnip Crop for 
Sheep,” J. S. Woodward gives excellent 
directions for growing a bumper crop of 
turnips, either for stock food or to pre¬ 
pare the land for future crop produc¬ 
tion. I am inclined to think, however, 
that he is a little inconsistent in putting 
so low a value on the crop. He says: 
“Of course English or white turnips are 
mostly water,” but at the close of his 
article he continues by saying: “The 
finest crop of barley I ever raised was 
on a field on which a heavy crop of tur¬ 
nips got caught with frost and was 
plowed in for crop in Spring. It went 
60 bushels per acre.” Mighty strong 
turnip water that is able to make 60 
bushels of barley per acre. Having had 
similar experience with the crop, I am 
not ready to take the value the chemist 
puts on the crop. I am growing turnips 
for table use, and therefore grow the 
crop a little differently from the way 
Mr. Woodward does for sheep. As far 
as preparing the land, we select a piece 
of ground from which we have removed 
a crop of early peas, potatoes or beans, 
or early sweet corn. As soon as the 
crop is off we work the ground with 
spading harrow once a week and roll 
and drag often until seeding time, which 
in this part we do any time between the 
15th of July and 25th of August. We 
never use stable manure for this crop, 
but depend on commercial fertilizers al¬ 
together. We mix equal parts by weight 
of steamed bone, analyzing three per cent 
nitrogen, 22 per cent phosphoric acid, 
and acid phosphate, acid analyzing 14 
per cent phosphoric acid. To every 100 
pounds we add 10 pounds of muriate 
of potash, giving us 10 per cent potash. 
We use about 500 pounds per acre. Hav¬ 
ing the ground prepared, we mix one 
pound of Purple-top White Globe tur¬ 
nip with nine pounds of Alsike clover 
seed for one acre, sow it with a wheel¬ 
barrow seeder; next we mix four pounds 
of Red-top with 10 pounds of Timothy 
grass seed, and sow it by going cross- 
ways over the lot. We work the seed 
in by going over with the weeder same 
way as we did with the seeder. The tur¬ 
nip seed is about the same size and 
weight as the Alsike clover and mixes 
well, the distribution of the seed is per¬ 
fect, and if you have good live turnip 
seed the turnips will come up so even 
that it will astonish you, every turnip 
about the same distance from the next. 
I have never yet failed to get a fine 
stand of grass by this method of seed¬ 
ing. The turnip crop for table use is far 
superior to a crop of turnips sown by 
themselves, the color of the turnip is 
an exceedingly delicate waxy white on 
the bottom, while the top is an attrac¬ 
tive purple. This is because the turnip 
itself is covered from the time it forms 
with the young clover and grass; it is 
never sunburned, or of a rusty color. 
This alone has proved a great advan¬ 
tage selling it. Another thing, turnips 
grown by this method are not as liable 
to get wormy as when sown alone. I 
cannot just tell why, but the worms do 
not seem to find them. We have now 
a five-acre lot ready to sow, seed is on 
hand, and we will watch our chance to 
sow just when the conditions are most 
propitious. The quality of turnips 
grown in this way is I believe very much 
better; they are sweet, never bitter, al¬ 
ways brittle, never tough or stringy. We 
get 50 cents a half bushel basket when 
we first market them; as the season ad¬ 
vances they go down in price, but I 
never sold them below 50 cents a bushel. 
I do not believe there is a better nurse 
crop for the grass than turnips sown in 
proportion mentioned above, and when 
you take into consideration that later on, 
when the grass no longer needs nursing, 
it turns the tables and nurses the tur¬ 
nips, preventing the sun from discolor¬ 
ing them, you have pretty nearly a con¬ 
genial combination. j. H. bollinger. 
Ohio. 
ALFALFA CULTURE IN DAKOTA. 
Alfalfa growing in the Dakotas is a 
very different proposition from handling 
the crop in more southern latitude. In 
the Northwest the ordinary varieties of 
Alfalfa frequently die, and an effort has 
been made to find hardy varieties that will 
live. The Department of Agriculture sent 
Professor llansen to northern Europe in 
search of these hardy varieties, lie traveled 
through Russia, parts of Siberia, Finland 
and Sweden, and found in a number of 
places plants of very hardy strain. Seeds 
of these plants were brought here and have 
been grown for some years in the North- 
west. They have been successful and there 
is now great promise that they will prove 
a great help to northwest farmers. They 
are so far successful that a bulletin has 
now been issued by the South Dakota Sta¬ 
tion, giving a report of the tests of these 
varieties, and also methods of cultivation. 
In the Northwest fanners are advised to 
use a loamy soil with good drainage. The 
soil must not be acid, but it is said there 
is sullicient lime now in practically all the 
soils in South Dakota for good crops of 
Alfalfa. It is also said that inoculating 
is not necessary. In that section the Al¬ 
falfa should never be seeded on unsubdued 
sod. It will not do simply to disk up over 
the sod and seed at once to Alfalfa. In a 
few cases the western soils are too full of 
alkali to make a good growth. The best 
soil, as advised by this bulletin, is a well- 
cultivated potato field. The culture puts 
the soil in good condition for holding mois- j 
ture and kills out the weeds. The field j 
should have been plowed long enough to j 
enable the soil to pack down and fill with 
water. Regarding the methods of seeding 
we are told that Alfalfa can be sown in 
a good wheat drill if it is mixed with 
ground cornrneal or boiled millet seed after 
it has been dried. A mixture of two-thirds 
of the ground meal and one-third of Alfalfa 
gives a good seeding. It will take three to 
four pecks of the mixture to supply 12 or 
15 pounds of seed. In that windy country 
on light sandv soil a nurse crop of grain 
is seeded with the Alfalfa. About four 
pecks of barley or oats per acre is used for I 
this nurpose. Alfalfa does not spread or 
cover ground after it begins to grow thin, 
as grasses or clovers do. As the plants die, 
the place occupied is left vacant. Usually 
weeds enter and grow. In such cases 
through the West using the disk has a 
good effect in cutting out the weeds, and 
splitting the crowns of Alfalfa. In this way 
one root stock can be made to throw out 
manv branches and thus increase the hay 
crop. This Dakota bulletin states that in- ! 
sects and honey bees are capable of fer- | 
tilizing Alfalfa seed, yet these insects do 
not seem to be absolutely needl'd. Other 
insects, especially the night-flying ones, 
help in this work. The Kansas Station 
show that where plants were screened so 
as to keep the insects away little or no 
seed was produced. Thus it seems evident 
that Alfalfa is not a self-fertilizing plant. 
“For the Land’s Sake, use Bowker’s 
Fertilizers; they enrich the earth and 
those who till it.”— Adv. 
C ABBAGE. CELERY. SWEET POTATOES. TOMATOES. BRUS¬ 
SELS SPROUTS AND CELERIAC.best variety fine plants 
$1 per 1,000; 10,000 for *7.50 J. C. SCHMIDT. BRISTOL,PA 
C ABBAGE PLANTS-Premium Flat Dutch, Large Am. Drum¬ 
head. 15c per 100; $1.00 per 1000: 5000 for $4.50; 
10,000 for *8.00. B. PERKY, Cooi Spring, Del. 
ONE QUART OF STRAWBERRIES 
KEVITT’S SYSTEM. Send for my Mid-Summer 
Catalogue. T. C. KEV1TT, Athenla, N. J. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
of the Best Vari- 
fitipc I lACbnntivp 
Catalogue Free. BASIL PERRY, D. 18, Coo! Spring, Bel. 
APPLE SHIPPERS 
will realize more money for their BEST 
GRADE OF FRUIT if packed in our 
boxes. Guaranteed U. S. Standard Legal 
size. ex. 
Materials shipped in the knock down, 
securely bundled at $12.00 per 100 boxes, 
f. o. b. New York, or in carload lots of 5,000 
delivered. 
COLES & COMPANY. 109-111 Warren St.. NEW YORK 
Established 1884. 
DON’T neglect to find out about 
The Acre-Aii-Hour Sifter, 
the new invention. .Applies dry 
Bordeaux, Cement, lJme, Flatter or 
Screened Ashes with Taris Green to 
Potatoes, CucumlierR, Cun an Ik, etc., 
as fast as a man can walk. Covers 
instantly and perfectly plant 3 ft. in 
diameter: one man can treat ah Acre 
in one to two houra. Beat implement 
for the business ever invented. Sam¬ 
ple by express, 7f»c. Prepaid hv mail 
only, buyer’s risk, $1, Splendid in¬ 
ducement to agents. ACRF-AN-llom 
SIKTKK CO., Poughkeepsie, X. V. 
HARRISON’S NURSERIES 
have been built up by quality trees from a small 
beginning to the largest nursery in America—more 
than 2000 acres devoted to growing trees, plants, 
vines and ornamental stock. Buy of a responsible 
grower and get what you pay for. Address 
HARRISON’S NURSERIES, 
Box 421, Berlin, Md. 
PEACH TREES 
FALL 1910 SPRING 1911 
We are prepared to quote prices and enter 
orders now for just what you want of our 
own grown trees. Don’t be disappointed 
again the coming season but order now. 
JOS. H. BLACK, SON & CO., -:- HIGHTSTOWN, N. J. 
OUR MICHIGAN GROWN 
SEED WHEATS BEST 
Because they are 
grown under best 
climatic conditions, 
most care taken in 
selection, growing, grading and satisfaction guaranteed 
or money hack. Our KEJ> WAVE is the best winter 
wheat ever grown. Buy direct from us and get the benefit 
of the best Seed Wheat making facilities in America. 
Write* today for price list No. 17. All leading sorts. 
MAPLEWOOD SEED WHEAT FARMS, Allegan, Mich. 
SEED WHEAT 
GYPSY 'WHEAT. Splendid standard variety 
proven by Ohio Experiment Station, test running 
20 years, to be the highest yielder of any variety 
in the state. We can please you if yon are looking 
for good seed. Write today. Our catalog No. 23 
"How to Grow Alfalfa,” will be mailed free, 
WING SEED CO., Box 523, Meclianicsburg, Ohio. 
pci cpy — BEST VARIETIES. Full count 
ULLCll I of heavily rooted, stocky plants. 
H. A. TODD, Doylestown, l’eniia. 
ALFALFA SOIL FOR INOCULATION 
E. T. GILL, Haddon Farms, Haddonfield, N. J. 
Apple and Peach Trees^ree'c'mXgue 
SALESMEN WANTED 
CHOICE 
E. RIGG, Jit., 
Cow Peas $3.00 Bushel. 
Crimson Clover $8.75 Bushel. 
-:- Burlington, N. J. 
ror ian 01 
8 
PEACH AND APPLE TREES spring 
planting. Prices right, stock right. MYER & 
SON, Bridgeville, Del. 
SEED WHEAT 
Gypsy, Nigger. Poole and Harvest King. Highest 
yielders. Heaviest weight per measured bnsliel 
at Exp. Sta. Recleaned. Grain bags and samples 
free. Low price. Write PROSPECT SEED 
FARM, Madison, O. 
RfinK an< * so ®d for sale. Complete 
llUUIO instructions for cultivating 
and prices 10 cents. H. W. ELMEN00RF, Ravena, N. Y. 
Mitchell’s Nursery, Beverly, Ohio 
Do You Need Farm Help? 
The Jewish Agricultural and Industrial Aid So¬ 
ciety has on its lists men wishing to obtain em¬ 
ployment upon farms. Most of them are without 
experience, but they are able-bodied and willing to 
work. They speak little or no English, although 
many of them speak German. If you can make 
use of sucli help, please communicate with us, 
stating what you will pay, whether the work is 
permanent, and whether you prefer a single or 
married man. We are a philanthropic organiza¬ 
tion, whose object it is to assist and encourage 
Jews to become farmers. We charge no commis¬ 
sion to employer or employee. Address J. A. & I. 
A. S.. 174 Second Avenue, New York City. 
WHIRLWIND 
SILO-FILLERS 
The only line of Feed Cutters 
whose power and capacity rating's 
are made and guaranteed on a 
gasoline engine basis. s s : 
STRONG - SIMPLE -- CON VENIENT-- 
A FAST DEPENDABLE MACHINE. 
H WHIRLWINDS are built in 5 
sizes, from 4 to 40 tons per hour 
capacity with 3 to 15 H.P. (gasoline engine). Absolutely rigid, under trussed frame. "Wheel" 
or “Skid” style of mounting. “Plain” or "Traveling Apron Feed Tables.” Gradual, shear cut. 
Shear plate easily removed for grinding. Simplest and most accurate knife adjustment. 
Graphite bearings. Instant start, stop and reverse mechanism. : : : : : 
H Investigate carefully before you buy—compare the WHIRLWIND impartially, point by 
point with other machines, and you’ll buy a WHIRLWIND. : : : : : 
" Our No. 40 Whirlwind Catalog and our booklet, “Why and 
How to Fill a Silo, ’will be sent free on request. : 
WILDER-STRONG IMPLEMENT CO., Box 33, Monroe, Michigan. 
